328 Commitment over capacity: Why investigative journalism persists despite shrinking newsrooms
From "E & P Reports" from Editor & Publisher Magazine hosted by Mike Blinder by Mike Blinder
April 4, 2026 · 19 min · Season 1 · Episode 328
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges faced by investigative journalism in shrinking newsrooms and the commitment of journalists to continue their work despite these obstacles.
Investigative journalism has never been easy. But according to the latest State of Accountability Journalism report from the University of Florida's Collier Prize, the reporters doing that work today say the obstacles are growing even as their commitment to watchdog reporting remains strong. Shrinking newsroom staffs, rising costs for public records and increasing resistance from government agencies are making investigations harder to pursue. Yet many journalists say the very pressures threatening accountability reporting are also reinforcing why it matters. As Collier Prize director Rick Hirsch put it, "this is a hard business. If you're going to stick in it, you've got to be committed and believe in the impact that it can have." Access more at this episode's landing page, at: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/commitment-over-capacity-why-investigative-journalism-persists-despite-shrinking-newsrooms,260965
People in this episode
Host: Mike Blinder
Topics covered
- investigative journalism
- newsroom challenges
- accountability reporting
- commitment to journalism
- media industry
- press freedom
Keywords
- investigative journalism
- newsrooms
- accountability
- reporting challenges
- media commitment
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Florida, Collier Prize, Editor & Publisher Magazine
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